The Black Of Sin Series

It was a dark, dark night. A man was making his way home from working late, and as he often did, he walked home through a cemetery because it was a quicker route. However, because it was so dark, he didn’t notice a new grave had been dug in his path, and he tumbled into a 7 foot deep hole in the ground. For some time he struggled to get out of that deep, deep grave, but finally gave up and sat down in one end of the hole for the night. About an hour later, a farmer who’d been out possum hunting came walking through the cemetery and he too fell into the grave. And the farmer began desperately to attempt to get out - jumping, and reaching for the ridge above him - but he couldn’t get out either. And, he was unaware that there was anyone else in the grave with him. The first man listened to the farmer’s struggles for a few minutes, and then he got up reached over in the pitch darkness and laid a HAND on the man’s shoulder. And he said “You’re never going to get out of here,” But you know… he did.

We’re starting out on a colorful 6-part sermon series entitled: “Colors of Faith”. It’s based on a “witness bracelet” that’s very popular with young folks. As you can see, the beads on this bracelet are BLACK (for sin); RED (for the blood of Jesus); BLUE (for baptism into Christ); WHITE (for purity); GREEN (for growth in Christ); and YELLOW/GOLD (to represent Heaven).

Today’s sermon is focused on the 1st bead – the BLACK bead, representing sin. As you may know I work on these sermons with other preachers in the area and we decide ahead of time what sermons we’re going to preach so we can share thoughts and illustrations. And, like I said, today we’re focusing the blackness of sin. So, I started looking for a verse that identified sin as being “BLACK”. I mean – if you’re going to preach a sermon on sin being black you really ought to have a Scripture that says that. But I couldn’t find one. I could NOT find one Bible verse that spoke of sin, iniquity, or immorality as being BLACK. Maybe there’s one somewhere in Scripture… but I couldn’t find it.

The closest thing I could find was this passage I read in Proverbs 4:19 “The way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know over what they stumble.”

That BLACK bead on the witness bracelet, was the color that folks associated with that darkness. But not just darkness… but with a DEEP DARKNESS. And that description of sin being a deep darkness shows up several times in Scripture

In the book Acts, Paul said that Jesus had sent him to preach to people “To open their eyes, and to turn them FROM DARKNESS TO LIGHT, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me Acts 26:18

Paul’s purpose was to turn people away from darkness (SIN) and bring them to light. To turn them from the power of Satan and bring them to God, and to bring them to the point—where the sin in their lives no longer had control of them, because God offered to bring them forgiveness of sins

Now, there’s a similar passage in the Gospel of Matthew. And it says “The people which sat in darkness saw a great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up. Leaving Nazareth (Jesus) went and lived in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, so that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: "The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles?—?the people dwelling in darkness have seen a great light, and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death, on them a light has dawned." Matthew 4:13-16

You see, these people dwelt in the SHADOW OF DEATH, and they SAT IN DARKNESS. And when I read that -- the first thought that came to my mind was that these people lived lives of hopelessness and despair. THEY LIVED IN DARKNESS… and they KNEW IT!!!

ILLUS: One of the most dynamic entertainers of the past was a blind man - a singer and piano player named Ray Charles. There’s a story about the time that Ray Charles performed at a premier hotel in Reno, NV. Apparently, a friend of his called him and said he had a payment for Charles’ performance that night, and he asked if the blind singer wanted him to give the check to his manager. Charles responded “Nah, just bring the money up to my room the door will be open.” So, the friend went up to Ray's room, and the door was ajar. He knocked and heard Ray say come in. And when he walked into the suite, every light was off. The apartment was completely black. And the friend called out, “Ray, where are you?” Ray said, “I’m in the bathroom, shaving.” Before the friend realized what he was saying, he called out “what are you doing shaving in the dark?” Ray's response was, “I do everything in the dark; I live in darkness.” (related by William Wyne)